[Male/29] first time grow out - questions

For the first time in 29 years, I've decided to grow my hair out, but need to keep it somewhat presentable for work. So I'm starting with top only. It's been about 4 months of growth, starting from a close cut.

I have some questions that may seem obvious, but I've never really given my hair a second thought:

Can you tell if my hair type is curly or wavy? So much online guidance depends on this difference.

Would a quiff style with side-part be advisable for me?

If yes, which product(s) would you recommend? I've been leaning towards pomades, as they seem to be good for dry hair, but I recently heard about styling creams, which may be better for curlier hair. I currently just use shampoo, no conditioner, about 3X/week. Thanks!